Konoha’s Five-Element Ninja

Chapter 42: The Invincible Turtle-Shell Ninja

The Village Hidden in the Mist has never ranked at the top among the Five Great Shinobi Nations, primarily because of its insular geography. As an island nation, the Land of Water faces unique challenges. For reasons unknown, island countries often seem eager to gain recognition from others, yearning for a piece of mainland territory. The Land of Water, in particular, harbors this desire intensely.

Hayama found it difficult to comprehend this mindset. Couldn't the Mist shinobi just stay home, munch on snacks, and watch other nations tear each other apart? Why bother getting involved, sending their ninja to certain death, and ultimately gaining nothing in return? It seemed utterly laughable.

If the Mizukage could hear Hayama's thoughts, they would likely scoff at his narrow perspective. He simply didn't understand—if the Mist didn't participate in the shinobi wars, it wouldn't even feel like one of the Great Nations anymore. Island nations have their own set of challenges. While their geographical isolation may keep their homeland safe from invasion, it also leaves them virtually invisible on the global stage. If they don't make their presence felt during every major conflict, they risk being forgotten altogether. That's why the Mizukage believed the Mist had to join every shinobi war, to demonstrate the village's strength and assert its place among the great powers.

Yet, the reality often saw Mist ninja getting trounced by the likes of the Uchiha and Hyuga clans, leaving the Mizukage's pride bruised.

In the midst of battle, Hayama spun into a group of Mist ninja, planting his hand firmly on the ground. With a powerful twist, he turned himself into a human whirlwind, his legs sweeping out in a hardened, godlike barrage that shattered their formation.

Two Mist ninja exchanged glances, their expressions turning savage. Thinking they'd found a flaw in Hayama's technique, they leaped high into the air, aiming their blades at the seemingly exposed lower half of his body.

Still basking in his own invincible stance, Hayama noticed the two Mist ninja preparing to deliver a rather dishonorable attack. A chilling light flashed in his eyes as he decisively slapped the ground, launching himself skyward. In the air, his hands quickly formed a sequence of seals.

"Lightning Style: False Darkness!"

From below the two Mist ninja, Hayama opened his mouth, unleashing a bolt of lightning that struck them squarely. The devastating electrical attack turned their bodies into charred husks, filling the air with a sickening burnt odor.

The two remaining Mist ninja had no time to mourn their still-warm comrades. They spat out water dragons that barreled toward Hayama, who was still airborne.

In truth, Mist shinobi of the same rank often lacked the combat effectiveness of their counterparts from other villages. Even compared to the relatively weaker Iwagakure ninja, a skilled Earth Release user from the Stone could dominate a Mist shinobi with ease. While elemental disadvantages played a role, the core issue lay in the Mist's lack of combat experience. Their natural cruelty often outweighed their ability to accurately assess battle conditions.

For example, with Hayama in midair and unable to maneuver, the most logical move would have been to use jutsu that could immobilize him. Instead, the Mist ninja opted for weak, easily avoidable Water Style techniques.

As a result, their seemingly impressive water dragons did little more than leave Hayama momentarily winded. He gracefully landed, his now gleaming bald head even shinier from the water.

Rubbing his chest, Hayama called out to the Mist ninja. "Hey, what kind of Kekkei Genkai do you guys have in your village?"

He asked out of sheer curiosity. Normally, Hayama would prefer to let his fists do the talking, but when given the chance to slack off and engage in some light conversation, he wasn't about to turn it down.

Unfortunately, his innocent question seemed to deeply offend the Mist ninja. Their faces flushed red, and one of them roared, "You bastard! Never underestimate the Hidden Mist!"

The pair drew their kunai and charged at Hayama, shouting fiercely. Their reckless assault came without any form of defense, as if they were hell-bent on cutting him down at all costs.

Hayama was stunned. He hadn't meant to insult their village; he was just trying to make small talk, akin to asking someone if they'd had lunch or commenting on the weather. But it seemed these island-born shinobi were exceptionally touchy, almost eager to throw their lives away.

Faced with their unrestrained attacks, Hayama let them slice through his clothes without flinching. Then, with a single punch each, he sent both Mist ninja to meet the Sage of Six Paths.

Hardened Body Technique for the win.

After completing his Earth Release training, Hayama's hardened body technique had become even tougher. He could now withstand explosive tags without injury. The Mist ninja, relying on a single elemental affinity, stood no chance against his impenetrable defense and met their demise.

This might be called: "The Turtle-Shell Ninja Takes No Damage."

Having eliminated the squad, Hayama assessed the battlefield and found the situation leaning in Konoha's favor. Not feeling the urge to continue fighting, he casually strolled over to the barrier protecting the Daimyo and started inspecting it, leaving the ANBU assigned to maintain it utterly baffled.

Hayama's unit, the First Combat Battalion, was essentially the regular forces. The ANBU, on the other hand, reported directly to the Hokage and functioned more like a special forces unit. Although they both served Konoha, their lack of a formal chain of command meant the ANBU couldn't intervene even if Hayama decided to slack off.

It was Hayama's first time getting a close look at a barrier. While he had seen them from a distance before, the details had always been too far away to discern.

At its core, barrier techniques were another application of chakra—much like medical ninjutsu. The key difference was that barrier techniques could utilize multiple chakra natures. Thanks to the destruction of Uzushio and the dispersion of the Uzumaki clan's knowledge, both barrier and sealing techniques had spread throughout the ninja world. Konoha, which had stood by and done nothing to help Uzushio, reaped the benefits, eventually producing ninja who could use sealing techniques in combat.

The barrier before Hayama was a faint black dome, resembling an inverted bowl placed over the ground. Up close, the sound of chakra flowing rapidly within it was unmistakable.

Intrigued, Hayama bent down to pick up a small stone and flicked it at the barrier. A sudden burst of lightning shattered the stone on impact, causing a faint ripple across the barrier's surface.

The four ANBU maintaining the barrier grew irritated. They couldn't fathom why this bald ninja was toying with their work, and they mentally noted to report him later.

Blissfully unaware that he had annoyed the Hokage's trusted operatives, Hayama tried another test from underground before losing interest. While barrier techniques were undoubtedly fascinating, they weren't particularly useful in combat. Hayama decided that once the war was over, he'd focus on perfecting the Lightning Release techniques taught to him by Sakumo Hatake. That would be time well spent.

Compared to Sakumo's techniques, Hayama's own Lightning Release skills were hardly worth mentioning. When Sakumo unleashed his Lightning Release, combined with his clan's unique swordsmanship, he could eliminate enemies in the blink of an eye. Hayama's version merely enhanced his speed and agility. The two weren't even in the same league.

But there was nothing Hayama could do about it. While Sakumo was willing to share his personally developed Lightning Release techniques, the Hatake clan's swordsmanship was a closely guarded family secret. Those skills were reserved for Sakumo's son, not an outsider like Hayama.

This left Hayama to figure things out on his own. If he wanted to achieve greater heights, he'd have to integrate new elements into his Lightning Release techniques. Otherwise, he'd remain stagnant at the jonin level.

As Hayama mulled over his future training, he suddenly felt a chilling presence to his side. Turning to look, he was greeted by a rather jarring sight.

A smooth, reflective ice mirror had appeared beside him, clearly showing his shiny bald head and hairless brows. A wave of sorrow washed over Hayama. In the past, his looks, though ordinary, at least met Konoha's average standards. Now he looked like a shady street thug—one who would likely get hauled off to the police by an Uchiha patrol at night.

The ice mirror's surface flashed, and a young Mist ninja emerged, tossing a barrage of senbon at Hayama.

Drawing a kunai, Hayama deflected the needles and retaliated by throwing several explosive tags, shattering the mirror in a fiery blast.

When the smoke cleared, two Mist ninja stood before Hayama. Both seemed to be in their twenties, radiating a sharp, menacing aura.

Having learned his lesson, Hayama tread more carefully this time. "May I ask who you are?" he inquired politely.

The Mist ninja exchanged puzzled looks. They weren't sure why this Konoha ninja was being so courteous, but after a brief pause, they introduced themselves.

"Suigetsu Ku."

"Kaguya Shouichi."

Hayama felt a wave of relief. After hours of relentless fighting, he'd finally encountered Mist ninja who could engage in a civil conversation. "I'm Byakumo Hayama, the man who's about to kill you," he said cheerfully.

Kaguya Shouichi's temper flared. "You sure talk big for a bald guy!"

Hayama: "..."

It was clear that the best way for ninja to communicate was through battle. Words only opened the door to ridicule. Sighing, Hayama asked the ANBU behind the barrier, "What are their Kekkei Genkai?"

The ANBU hesitated, reluctant to answer. But seeing that even the Daimyo appeared curious, they finally replied, "Suigetsu's is the Ice Release, and Kaguya's is the Shikotsumyaku."

Though the answer wasn't particularly informative, it at least provided some context. Hayama sighed internally. He had hoped for a break, but instead, he'd have to deal with two Kekkei Genkai users. It was going to be a long day.